Terminal applicator

ABSTRACT

A terminal applicator having a multiplicity of punch-anvil pairs selectively movable into operating position and a quickly adjustable pressure regulator to crimp a plurality of different terminals to wires under closely simulated service conditions.

Umted States Patent [191 [111 3,911,721

Baldyga Oct. 14, 1975 [54] TERNIINAL APPLICATOR 3,769,704 l1/li973 Abarotin et a]. 29/203 DT 3,791,191 2/1974 Baldyga 72/451 [75] Inventor: gseph fi 3,859,708 1/1975 Keim et a1. 29 203 DT emens, 1c

[73] Assigneez 3261:1122: at: Mold C0., Mount Primary Examiner carl E. Ha

Attorney, Agent, or FirmWhittemore, l-lulbert &

[22] Filed: Sept. 3, 1974 Belknap [21] Appl. No.: 502,346

52 us. Cl. 72/441; 29/203 DT; 72/448; [57] ABSTRACT Int Cl 2 3 41 g A terminal applicator having a multiplicity of punch- [58] Fieid D, 72,441 anvil pairs selectively movable into operating position 72/442, 451, 448, DIG. l

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,797,724 7/1957 Walldow 72/441 and a quickly adjustable pressure regulator to crimp a plurality of different terminals to wires under closely simulated service conditions.

15 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Sheet 1 of 2 US. Patent Oct. 14, 1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,911,721

TERIVIINAL APPLICATOR BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In preparing for production runs of wiring harnesses which may have a large number of different terminals applied to a multiplicity of wires, it is necessary to test the terminal application as it will be accomplished in production runs. This can of course be accomplished with a single station terminal applicator but requires the removal of a previously used set of punch and anvil elements and adjustment of the operating pressure which will be applied. It is essential that the test application be carried out under the same conditions as in a production run, so that evaluation of the terminal application may be meaningful In accordance with the present invention a terminal applicator is provided carrying a multiplicity of previously selected sets of punch-anvil elements each of which is identified with the particular terminal to be applied and which carries a notation as to the operating pressure to be used in the application of the terminal.

The punch-anvil sets are mounted on a turntable so that any of the sets may be selected and moved into operating position. At this time a slide block designed to receive the particular terminal is moved outwardly through an opening in a guard wall and the terminal placed therein. The application pressure is adjusted to the required amount.

Conveniently, the application of pressure is controlled by yieldable structure which includes a diaphragm subjected to readily controllable air pressure so that when the required pressure tends to be exceeded, yielding of the structure takes place, limiting pressure to the amount determined by the setting of the pneumatic means.

The slide block with the open terminal positioned therein is moved back into operating position which applies the terminal in proper relationship to the selected punch and anvil. At this time the press is operated and the terminal crimped onto the end of a wire placed therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a vertical section through the terminal applicator.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a vertical section showing the pressure limiting arrangement.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 4-4, FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 5-5, FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view through the guard structure looking in the direction of the arrow 6, FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The applicator comprises a stationary base plate 10 having a lateral extension 12 on which guide blocks 14 at 28 are provided and the assembly secured together with a mounting plate 30 and screw 31. A hardened bushing 32 is interposed between the bearings 28. The post 22 is provided along one side thereof with a locating channel 34 the opposite side walls of which are inclined as indicated at 35 in FIG. 2.

v Mounted for rotation with the post 22 is a nest plate 36 having a multiplicity of circumferentially spaced peripheral notches 38 for slidably receiving and accurately locating a corresponding multiplicity of terminal nest blocks 40 each of which has anvil structure herein illustrated as comprising two anvil plates 42 and 44, by a mounting screw 46. Each of the terminal nest blocks includes a depending portion 48 having an arcuate slot 50 formed on a radius determined by its separation from the axis of the post 22.

Radially movable in the slot 18 is a slide 52 having an upstanding finger 54 received in the arcuate slot 48. Finger 54 is also curved to be concentric with the axis of the post 22.

The slide 52 as best seen in FIG. 5, is horizontally movable between the guide blocks 14 and 15. The guide block 14 as shown in FIG. 5 is provided with a guide rail 56 which is receivable in corresponding slots provided in the sides of the terminal nest blocks 40. The slide 52 is provided with a handle 58 carried by an adjustable screw 60, the inner end of which is engageable with a micro-switch 62 to disable the machine except when the slide 52 with its currently associated terminal nest block 40 is in operating position.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the slide 52 is movable horizontally to the left and right as viewed in FIG. 1, but is not rotatable about the axis of the post 22. On the other hand, the nest plate 36 is rotatable so that different terminal nest blocks with the associated anvils 42,44 may be selectively moved into operating position about the axis of the post 22. At this time the anvil nest block is movable radially of the post through an opening 64 provided in a generally cylindrical guard 66. When the terminal nest block is moved outwardly an openterminal is applied in the upwardly facing recess 68 and the terminal nest block may be moved back to its operating position within the guard 66 in preparation for the application of the terminal at the end of a wire.

Mounted for rotation with and vertical movement with respect to the post 22 is an assembly comprising a rotating head plate 70 and a ram connector plate 72, these plates being secured together by screws 74. The post 22 is surrounded by a bushing 76 having an opening 78 in registration with the channel 34 and dimensioned to receive an upper locating key 80. The key 80 is movable horizontally by an eccentrically headed screw 82 and is adapted to be clamped in adjusted positions by a clamping screw 84. It is intended that the upper key 80 shall locate the rotating head plate 70 in accurately located position while at the same time providing for vertical movement of the plates and key 80 as will subsequently be described.

The nest plate 36 is provided with a lower key 86 also adjustable by an eccentrically headed screw 88 and adapted to be clamped in adjusted position by a clamping screw 90. In this case the lower key 86 is forced in wedging relation into the channel 34, since the nest plate 36 is rotatable with the post 22 but is not intended to move axially thereof.

The head plate 70 is provided with a multiplicity of punches illustrated in FIG. 1 as comprising two separate punch plates 92 and 94 secured in peripheral recesses in the head plate by screws 96. Since the head plate 70 and the nest plate 36 are both keyed to the rotatable post 22, it will be apparent that the punch plates 92, 94, and the anvil set comprising the anvil plates 42,44 are always in precise registration with each other as well as with the terminal receiving recess 68 in the associated terminal nest block 40.

With the selected punch and anvil pair mounted in assembled relation, and with the selected open terminal received in the terminal nest block, the rotating head plate is moved downwardly by the ram connector plate and the crimping operation takes place. In order to provide the ram stroke necessary to crimp the connector onto the wire, the ram connector plate 72 is provided with an annular groove 98 which receives the finger 100 of a ram connector element 102 which is bolted to the ram 104 indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1.

One of the essential requirements of the present invention is that an accurately controlled preselected force shall be applied in the crimping operation and this is accomplished by the structure best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The press actuation involves straightening out a plurality of toggles of which one set of toggle links is indicated at 106 being connected by a pivot mounting 110 to a normally fixed but vertically upwardly movable guide block 1 12. Links 106 and 108 are interconnected by a pivot connection 114 and link 108 is connected to the ram 104 by a pivot connection 116.

The linkage including the links 106, 108, and a further link 118 may be as disclosed in my US Pat. No. 3,374,657 and will not be further described in detail. It may be noted however, that in operation the ram 104 is movable downwardly and is capable of exerting very great force as the interconnected toggle devices assume parallel relationship between their links. If the block 112 were absolutely fixed, excess pressure might be exerted in the connectors in the crimping operation, particularly where variation in thickness of terminals or wire occurs. Accordingly, while the block 112 is normally stationary, it is capable of limited upward movement if excessive forces are developed. For this purpose a housing 120 is provided including a lower housing portion 122 and a removable cover 124 between which is mounted a flexible diaphragm 126. Secured to the underside of the diaphragm 126 is a head plate 130 having depending flanges 132 and 134 which normally engage the inside of the bottom wall of the lower housing portion 122, thus determining the normal operating position of the block 112. in addition, the plate 130 carries a depending stem 135 which is engageable with the block 112. v

The chamber 136 above the diaphragm 126 receives high pressure air as regulated by a pressure control valve diagrammatically indicated at 138, the air supply also be connected to an indicating dial 140. By appropriate adjustment of the pressure regulating valve 138, the air pressure applied over the relatively large area of the diaphragm establishes a downward force opposing upward movement of the block 112. If however, operating pressures at the crimping station exceed a predetermined value, the block 112 moves the plate 130 up against the force developed by the air pressure.

The entire rotatable structure may be turned to the position which brings a selected punch and anvil set into operating position adjacent the guide blocks 14,15 and the slide 52. Rotation may be accomplished by manipulation of the ram connector plate 72. Accurate location of the punch set is required to permit the associated anvil structure and the terminal nest block to be moved outwardly through the opening 64 in the guard for the reception of the open terminal to be applied. Thereafter, the slide 52 is moved inwardly to restore the anvil to operating position directly beneath its associated punch. At this time the microswitch 62 is actuated, preparing a circuit which permits single rotation of a crank which straightens the toggles, as more fully described in my prior patent, and which applies crimping force to crimp the terminal to the wire.

It will be understood that to insure that sufficient force is applied as determined by the air pressure within the chamber 136, the parts may be initially adjusted so that under all operating conditions slight upward movement of the block 1 12 is required against the air pressure applied to the diaphragm, thus precisely determining the amount of crimping pressure applied to the terminal.

With the multiple test terminal applicator disclosed herein, a multiplicity of different terminals may be quickly applied to different wires under precisely the same operating conditions as will exist during production runs. The time required to rotate the selected anvil-punch set into position, to move the selected terminal nest block to position to receive the selected open terminal, and the adjustment of the air pressure to provide the required crimping pressure takes but a few seconds.

In a practical embodiment of the apparatus which has been produced by the present invention, 16 different terminal sets are provided, but it will of course be obvious that any number may be provided dependent upon the size of the nest plate and rotating head plate.

Safety is provided of course since the terminal nest block is withdrawn from the guard for placement of an open terminal therein and the operation of the ram cannot take place until the nest block has been moved through the opening in the guard to restore the anvil structure to operating position.

I claim:

1. A terminal applicator for testing terminal application of a plurality of different terminals to wires associated with respective ones of said terminals comprising a ram, quick adjustable means for selectively controlling the force to be applied by the ram in terminal application, movable storage means for a multiplicity of punch and anvil sets, a terminal nest block associated with each set, said storage means being movable to bring a selected terminal nest block and associated punch and anvil set into a predetermined operating position, and means for actuating said ram to cause said punch to crimp a selected terminal to a selected wire end under the selectively controlled force of the ram.

2. An applicator as defined in claim 1 in which said storage means is rotatable.

3. An applicator as defined in claim 2 in which said storage means comprises a rotatable nest plate having a multiplicity of terminal nest blocks and associated anvils, and a head plate having a multiplicity of punches rotatable with said nest plate and axially movable relative thereto to move a selected punch into crimping position relative to the associated anvil.

4. An applicator as defined in claim 3 in which movement of said head plate axially moves all of said punches into crimping position relative to their associated anvils.

5. An applicator as defined in claim 3 comprising means mounting said nest blocks radially between an operating position and a loading position.

6. An applicator as defined in claim 4 comprising a guard plate, said guard plate having an opening through which said nest block is movable.

7. An applicator as defined in claim 3 in which an anvil is fixedly secured to each of said nest blocks.

8. A terminal applicator for testing terminal application of a plurality of different terminals to wires associated with respective ones of said terminals comprising a base plate, a vertical post rotatably mounted on said base plate, a nest plate connected to said post for rotation therewith, a multiplicity of terminal nest blocks carried by said nest plate, an anvil secured to each of said nest blocks, a head plate connected to said post for rotation therewith and for axial movement thereon, a multiplicity of crimping punches on said head plate each of which is in circumferential alignment with a related anvil, a ram connected to said head plate including means for applying a selected force to one of said punches and moving the punch into crimping relation to a terminal positioned between the punch and its associated anvil, and means for quickly adjusting the force of the ram.

9. An applicator as defined in claim 8 in which said nest plate is provided with a multiplicity of radially extending guide means, and said nest blocks are mounted for radially slidable movement on said nest plate by 12. An applicator as defined in claim 8 in which the quick adjustable means for applying a selected force to the selected punch comprises a toggle mechanism including two links, a yieldable support for one of said links, said other link being connected to said ram.

13. An applicator as defined in claim 12 in which said yieldable means comprises an abutment, a movable support normally engaging and located by said abutment, pneumatic means biasing said member against said abutment, means for applying air under pressure to said pneumatic means, and quick adjustable means for selecting the pressure of air applied to said pneumatic means.

14. An applicator as defined in claim 13, said pneumatic means comprising a chamber, and a sealed movable diaphragm closing said chamber.

15. An applicator as defined in claim 8 in which said head plate has a ram connector at one side of said post, and a rotary connection between said ram connector and said head plate to provide for location of said ram connector substantially above the punch and anvil selected for crimping a selected connector. 

1. A terminal applicator for testing terminal application of a plurality of different terminals to wires associated with respective ones of said terminals comprising a ram, quick adjustable means for selectively controlling the force to be applied by the ram in terminal application, movable storage means for a multiplicity of punch and anvil sets, a terminal nest block associated with each set, said storage means being movable to bring a selected terminal nest block and associated punch and anvil set into a predetermined operating position, and means for actuating said ram to cause said punch to crimp a selected terminal to a selected wire end under the selectively controlled force of the ram.
 2. An applicator as defined in claim 1 in which said storage means is rotatable.
 3. An applicator as defined in claim 2 in which said storage means comprises a rotatable nest plate having a multiplicity of terminal nest blocks and associated anvils, and a head plate having a multiplicity of punches rotatable with said nest plate and axially movable relative thereto to move a selected punch into crimping position relative to the associated anvil.
 4. An applicator as defined in claim 3 in which movement of said head plate axially moves all of said punches into crimping position relative to their associated anvils.
 5. An applicator as defined in claim 3 comprising means mounting said nest blocks radially between an operating position and a loading position.
 6. An applicator as defined in claim 4 comprising a guard plate, said guard plate having an opening through which said nest block is movable.
 7. An applicator as defined in claim 3 in which an anvil is fixedly secured to each of said nest blocks.
 8. A terminal applicator for testing terminal application of a plurality of different terminals to wires associated with respective ones of said terminals comprising a base plate, a vertical post rotatably mounted on said base plate, a nest plate connected to said post for rotation therewith, a multiplicity of terminal nest blocks carried by said nest plate, an anvil secured to each of said nest blocks, a head plate connected to said post for rotation therewith and for axial movement thereon, a multiplicity of crimping punches on said head plate each of which is in circumferential alignment with a related anvil, a ram connected to said head plate including means for applying a selected force to one of said punches and moving the punch into crimping relation to a terminal positioned between the punch and its associated anvil, and means for quickly adjusting the force of the ram.
 9. An applicator as defined in claim 8 in which said nest plate is provided with a multiplicity of radially extending guide means, and said nest blocks are mounted for radially slidable movement on said nest plate by said guide means.
 10. An applicator as defined in claim 9 which comprises a guard plate having an opening through which a selected nest block is movable between a loading and an operating position.
 11. An applicator as defined in claim 9, said post having an axially extending channel at one side thereof, and adjustable keys carried by said nest plate and head plate and extending into said channel to maintain punches carried by said head plate in circumferential registration with anvils carried by said nest blocks.
 12. An applicator as defined in claim 8 in which the quick adjustable means for applying a selected force to the selected punch comprises a toggle mechanism including two links, a yieldable support for one of said links, said other link being connected to said ram.
 13. An applicator as defined in claim 12 in which said yieldable means comprises an abutment, a movable support normally engaging and located by said abutment, pneumatic means biasing said member against said abutment, means for applying air under pressure to said pneumatic means, and quick adjustable means for selecting the pressure of air applied to said pneumatic means.
 14. An applicator as defined in claim 13, said pneumatic means comprising a chamber, and a sealed movable diaphragm closing said chamber.
 15. An applicator as defined in claim 8 in which said head plate has a ram connector at one side of said post, and a rotary connection between said ram connector and said head plate to provide for location of said ram connector substantially above the punch and anvil selected for crimping a selected connector. 